As soon as Ryan arrived at the city gate, he saw a group of excited players surrounding White and Beedrill, talking non-stop.
One of the female players, named Isabell, was even touching Beedrill all over.
"Uncle White, how did you catch this big wasp? Can you teach me?"
"I've already told you, it's called Beedrill. Also, aren't you scared, Jingle? How do you dare touch it?"
"Why would I be scared? This Beedrill is so cute!"
"Cute?"
Bryan shivered as he looked at Beedrill's gun-like forearms and the venomous stinger on its tail. He just couldn't understand how Bell could find Beedrill cute.
"Ahem!" Ryan deliberately coughed a few times to catch the players' attention.
However, their eyes only briefly stopped on him before locking onto the Scyther by his side. Immediately, they swarmed around it.
"Wow, this Pokémon looks awesome!"
"Those scythe-like arms could probably cut a person in half easily."
"Is this also the lord's Pokémon? It looks so strong. Does it have any special abilities?"
"I think it's alright, but not as cute as Beedrill."
Ryan felt overwhelmed by the noise. He couldn't understand how five people could say so much.
"Enough! I understand your excitement and curiosity about coming to this new world, but please, control yourselves."
"The place we're heading to is very dangerous. If you keep acting like this, I'll have to reconsider whether you're qualified to accompany me."
Upon hearing this, the players immediately shut their mouths. After all, this was the only quest available to them at the moment, and if they couldn't go, they'd fall way behind other players.
White admired how Ryan managed to calm down these visitors from the divine realm with just a few words, letting out a long sigh of relief at the same time.
He truly couldn't understand the behavior of these visitors from the divine realm. They hadn't stopped pestering him the entire journey.
They were either bombarding him with weird questions or touching everything in sight. After touching, they'd let out exclamations of awe.
Moreover, whenever they met someone, they'd rush up and ask if there was anything they could help with. Their enthusiasm had scared several of the town's residents into running back home.
Yet even then, they wouldn't let them off, going so far as to try to push open doors to peek inside, while saying strange things like, "There's no way we can enter every house, right?"
White had no choice but to call for someone to bring Beedrill in the hopes that its presence would scare them into stopping their odd behavior.
Though they did stop running around, both he and Beedrill had paid the price.
These visitors weren't afraid of Beedrill at all. Instead, they crowded around, asking endless questions, and one girl even went as far as to touch it.
If White hadn't repeatedly told Beedrill to hold back, it might've already stung someone by now.
White relayed all of this to Ryan in detail, then quietly asked, "Master Ryan, are you sure these are visitors from the divine realm? Their behavior seems so strange."
Given the importance of rebuilding the territory, White couldn't help but feel uneasy.
"They are indeed visitors from the divine realm. They might just be a bit disoriented after arriving in this world."
"When you get back, tell the frightened townsfolk that these people are refugees. They're grateful for our territory taking them in and just want to help out, but they're a bit too enthusiastic."
"As for their odd behavior, just say it's part of their culture."
Ryan was also a bit helpless. These players sure knew how to cause trouble. He had only been gone for a little while, and they'd already stirred up so much.
"I understand. I hope everything goes smoothly for you and that you return safely."
White really wanted to take Ryan's place on this trip, but he knew that, on one hand, he couldn't control these visitors, and on the other hand, only through trials and tribulations could Ryan grow into a capable lord.
As he watched Ryan's figure fade into the distance, White silently prayed in his heart:
"Lord Nord, wherever you are, I hope you watch over young Master Ryan and keep him safe."
Meanwhile, in the castle of Ironthorn Town, west of Firefly Town.
Baron Bach sat grimly, staring at the cloaked man in front of him.
"I just received news that the young master of Firefly Town didn't die. Your operation failed again."
"Impossible! I had my Hypno put him to sleep and controlled him to fall into the river. I only left after confirming he had no life signs."
The cloaked man replied in a low voice.
"But the fact is, he's alive! And this isn't the first time you've failed! Before, you assured me that the beast tide would only impact other towns, and my town wouldn't suffer any losses. But what happened? I suffered just as much as anyone else!"
Baron Bach shouted in fury, standing up and pointing at the cloaked man.
"You told me that as long as we worked together to trigger the beast tide, you could ensure my town's safety. After the beast tide, I would easily conquer the other towns. But now? Forget conquering other towns, I haven't even cleaned up my own mess!"
"I already explained the situation with the beast tide. It was just a minor error. Besides, didn't I help divert part of the beast tide to Firefly Town? While your territory was affected, the damage was minimal, and you still have the strength to conquer other towns."
"Also, I really hate it when people point their fingers at me."
The cloaked man raised his head abruptly. Underneath the hood was darkness, with faint red lights staring straight at Baron Bach.
Baron Bach was reminded that the man before him was not his subordinate but a partner of equal strength, and he reluctantly lowered his hand. However, he continued speaking:
"Because of the unusual beast tide, the lunatics from the Temple of the Sea have been drawn here. I don't dare openly occupy other towns now. They'll definitely suspect me."
"Then you told me you had a plan to make sure the young master of Firefly Town would die naturally. With no heir, I could step in to manage the territory, and no one would question it. But now? The boy is still alive and well!"
This time, the cloaked man didn't argue back. In truth, he didn't understand how Ryan had survived.
"This failure was indeed my fault. I'll find a way to fix it. The Temple of the Sea's investigation team is nearby, so I can't make another move directly. However, I know a mercenary who will kill anyone for the right price. He could handle this."
"Will the Temple of the Sea suspect anything?"
"The Temple is only interested in us because of the Church. They won't investigate too deeply into anything else. As long as we stage a convincing accident, we should be fine. If you're still worried, we can always kill the mercenary afterward to tie up loose ends."
The cloaked man's tone was cold.
"You people from the Church of Shadows really are ruthless, but I like it. Let's do it your way."
"Alright, I'll make the arrangements."
The cloaked man turned and left. Before exiting, he glanced once more at the pillars in the hall.
After he left, Baron Bach slammed his hand on the table.
"A minor error? You think I don't know you did it on purpose? You directed the beast tide toward me! If we hadn't been prepared, we'd have been wiped out, and I'd be nothing but your puppet by now!"
"Baron, he seems to have noticed me," a figure suddenly emerged from behind a pillar, kneeling before Baron Bach.
"It'd be strange if he hadn't. The Church of Shadows is especially sensitive to life forces. I wanted him to notice you."
"By acting suspicious, paranoid, and easily angered, I've made sure he doesn't see me as a real threat."
Baron Bach's gaze turned sharp as he looked out the castle window, while the cloaked man outside sneered after glancing back at the castle.
"Hmph, fool. No matter how you act, it won't change the outcome. The shadow of my god will cover the entire world."